Horizontal banding machine

ABSTRACT

A horizontal banding machine comprising, an elastic band supply mechanism for providing an elastic band in a gravity assisted fashion; at least two band holding devices for, receiving the elastic band from the elastic band supply mechanism, stretching the elastic band for providing a band opening surrounded by the elastic band for accommodating a plurality of objects for banding therein; and, disengaging the elastic band from the holding devices for deploying the elastic band onto the plurality of objects, and an actuator coupled to the band holding devices for moving the band holding devices between a first position for receiving the elastic band and a second position for disengaging the elastic band.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to automated material handling machines,and more particularly to a banding machine for applying elastic bandsonto elongated objects.

2. Brief Description of the Related Art

Numerous objects in agriculture or industry are combined in bundles andbanded using elastic bands for shipping. In various applications theobjects such as, for example, broccoli or asparagus are best holdtogether having a vertical orientation by one worker while anotherworker applies an elastic band onto the hold objects at a certaindistance to one end of the objects depending on the length of the same.Typically, a bottom portion of the objects is then cut off in anotherprocessing step following the banding process in order to facilitatepackaging and shipping.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,934 issued to Swift et al. teaches a banding machinecomprising a mechanism for cutting elastic bands from a tubular elasticband stock, which are then disposed on fingers in a gravity assistedfashion for stretching the elastic band and disposing the same onto theobjects. The teachings of Swift et al. combine the production of theelastic bands—by cutting the same from the tubular elastic bandstock—using a relatively simple mechanism with the mechanism for bandingthe objects in a single machine.

It is desirable to provide a banding machine which produces elasticbands from a tubular elastic band stock and enables provision of theelastic bands and cutting of the objects while the objects are held in asame position.

It is also desirable to provide a banding machine which disposes theelastic bands onto the fingers in a gravity assisted fashion where theobjects are banded while being held having a vertical orientation forbanding in order to facilitate handling of the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a bandingmachine which produces elastic bands from a tubular elastic band stockand enables provision of the elastic bands and cutting of the objectswhile the objects are held in a same position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a banding machinewhich disposes the elastic bands onto the fingers in a gravity assistedfashion where the objects are banded while being held having a verticalorientation for banding in order to facilitate handling of the same.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided ahorizontal banding machine. The horizontal banding machine comprises anelastic band supply mechanism for providing an elastic band in a gravityassisted fashion. Below the elastic band supply mechanism at least twoband holding devices are disposed for: receiving the elastic band fromthe elastic band supply mechanism; stretching the elastic band forproviding a band opening surrounded by the elastic band foraccommodating a plurality of objects for banding therein; and,disengaging the elastic band from the holding devices for deploying theelastic band onto the plurality of objects. An actuator coupled to theband holding devices moves the band holding devices between a firstposition for receiving the elastic band and a second position fordisengaging the elastic band. A moving mechanism has the band holdingdevices and the actuator mounted thereto for moving the band holdingdevices from a band receiving position, where the elastic band isdisposed in a receiving plane oriented substantially horizontal, to aband disengaging position, where the elastic band is disposed in adisengaging plane oriented substantially horizontal. In the disengagingposition the band holding devices, the actuator, and the movingmechanism are disposed outside a handling space determined by projectingthe band opening along a straight line through the band opening andoriented substantially perpendicular thereto.

The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a bandingmachine which produces elastic bands from a tubular elastic band stockand enables provision of the elastic bands and cutting of the objectswhile the objects are held in a same position.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides abanding machine which disposes the elastic bands onto the fingers in agravity assisted fashion while the objects are held having a verticalorientation for banding in order to facilitate handling of the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view from one side of the horizontalbanding machine of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view from top of the horizontal bandingmachine of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the horizontal banding machine of oneembodiment of the present invention with the moving plate in adisengaging position;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a perspective views of the horizontal bandingmachine of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating themechanism for moving the moving plate;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top views of the moving plate of the horizontalbanding machine of one embodiment of the present invention with the bandholding devices in a band disengaging position and in a band receivingposition, respectively;

FIGS. 3C and 3D are perspective views of the band holding device of thehorizontal banding machine of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the cutting mechanism of thehorizontal banding machine of one embodiment of the present invention atdifferent stages of operation;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are perspective views of the band holding devices of thehorizontal banding machine of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the horizontal banding machine of oneembodiment of the present invention with the moving plate in a receivingposition;

FIG. 5D is a front view of the elastic band supply mechanism of thehorizontal banding machine of one embodiment of the present invention;and,

FIG. 5E is a perspective views of the band holding devices of thehorizontal banding machine of one embodiment of the present inventionwith the band holding devices in a band disengaging position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which the invention belongs. Although any methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used inthe practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methodsand materials are now described.

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 5E, a horizontal banding machine 100 accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided. The horizontalbanding machine 100 produces elastic bands from a tubular elastic bandstock, disposes an elastic band onto a plurality of objects, and cuts anend portion off the objects while the objects are held in a sameposition having a substantially vertical orientation.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1C, the horizontal banding machine 100comprises a frame structure 1 having in an upper portion mounted theretoan elastic band supply mechanism 3 for providing an elastic band in agravity assisted fashion. The elastic band supply mechanism 3 receivestubing 5 made of elastic material such as, for example, rubber, but isnot limited thereto, from a storage container 7 via tubing roller 2 forguiding the tubing 5 between the storage container 7 and tubing feeder4. For example, the tubing 5 is moved a predetermined length and holdusing a combination of moving gripper fingers and holding gripperfingers. An elastic band is then produced by cutting a portion of thetubing having the predetermined length using a cutter assembly. It isnoted, that a mechanism for moving and cutting the tubing is disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 7,257,934 issued to Swift et al. After cutting, theelastic band is dropped onto band holders. An example process of theelastic band production process is described herein below with referenceto FIG. 5D. The gripper fingers and the cutter assembly are, forexample, piston driven which are operated in a pneumatic or hydraulicfashion. Alternatively, the elastic band supply mechanism 5 comprises amechanism for feeding elastic bands from a stock of a plurality ofelastic bands.

Disposed below the elastic band supply mechanism 3 is an elastic banddeployment mechanism. The elastic band deployment mechanism comprises atleast two band holding devices 18, an actuator 19 coupled to the bandholding devices 18, and a moving mechanism 11 having the band holdingdevices 18 and the actuator 19 mounted thereto. The band holding devices18 receive the elastic band from the elastic band supply mechanism 3,for example, by being dropped onto respective band holders 122 aftercutting; stretch the elastic band 13 for providing a band opening 15surrounded by the elastic band 13 for accommodating a plurality ofobjects for banding therein; and disengage the elastic band 13 from theband holders 122 for deploying the elastic band 13 onto the plurality ofobjects. The actuator 19 moves the band holding devices 18 between afirst position for receiving the elastic band 13 and a second positionfor disengaging the elastic band 13. The moving mechanism 11 moves theband holding devices 18 substantially horizontally from a band receivingposition—the elastic band 13 is disposed in a receiving plane orientedsubstantially horizontal—to a band disengaging position—the elastic band13 is disposed in a disengaging plane oriented substantially horizontal.FIGS. 1A and 1B both illustrate the band holding devices 18 in the bandreceiving position—indicated by dashed lines—and the band disengagingposition.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the moving mechanism 11 linearlymoves the band holding devices 18 between the band receiving positionand the band disengaging position. Alternatively, the band holdingdevices 18 are rotated around a pivot mounted to the frame structure 1,or by a combination of linear and rotational movement. Furtheralternatively, the band holding devices 18 are additionally movedvertically such that the receiving plane and the disengaging plane areoriented substantially horizontal but are disposed at different verticallevels.

In the band disengaging position the band holding devices 18, theactuator 19 and the moving mechanism 11 are disposed outside a handlingspace 21 approximately determined by projecting the band opening 15along a straight line 17 through the band opening 15 and orientedsubstantially perpendicular to a plane of the band opening 15. Provisionof the handling space 21 enables deployment of a cutting mechanism 160comprising, for example, a cutting blade 162, which is movable in aplane located at a predetermined distance to the band holding devices 18and, for example, oriented substantially parallel to the band opening 15for cutting the plurality of objects at a predetermined distance to theelastic band 13. The cutting mechanism 160 is mounted to the movingmechanism 11. Alternatively, the cutting mechanism 160 is mounted to theframe structure 1. Optionally, the cutting mechanism 160 comprises anadjustment mechanism for variably placing the cutting blade 162 along asubstantially vertical direction for varying the distance between thecutting blade 162 and the band holding devices 18, as illustrated inFIG. 1A. The cutting blade 162 is provided, for example, in the form ofa straight cutting edge, a toothed cutting edge or a circular saw.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, the moving mechanism 11, preferably,comprises a moving plate 52 which is horizontally movable mounted to theframe 1 such that the moving plate 52 is oriented substantiallyhorizontal in the band receiving position and in the band disengagingposition. The horizontal movement is provided along a substantiallystraight line using, for example, guide rails 50 mounted to the framestructure 1 interacting with respective guides—such as, for example,gliding surfaces or rollers—of the moving plate 52 enabling, forexample, gliding or rolling movement therebetween. The horizontalmovement of the moving plate 52 is actuated using, for example, one ofan off-the-shelf hydraulic and pneumatic piston drive 54, as illustratedin FIG. 2B. Alternatively, a gear drive such as, for example, a toothedwheel interacting with a toothed rack or a chain drive is employed.

Referring to FIGS. 3A to 3D a preferred embodiment of the moving plate52, the band holding devices 18, and the actuator 19 according to theinvention is provided. The moving plate 52 is made, for example, from analuminum plate having a predetermined thickness to provide sufficientsupport and stiffness using standard computer controlled processes ofcutting, milling and drilling. Optionally, the moving plate 52 is madeof a material other than aluminum such as, for example, stainless steelor composite material. The moving plate 52 comprises a moving plateopening 10 which is sufficiently large for accommodating the bandopening 15 therein. As shown in FIG. 3A, the actuator 19 comprises fourswing arms 96. Each swing arm 96 has at a first end portion the bandholding device 18 mounted thereto, is rotatably mounted to the movingplate 52 via swing arm rotation pin 12, and coupled to a piston drive 92via piston clevis attach bolt 103 at a second opposite end. The pistondrive 92 is actuated, for example, in a pneumatic or hydraulic fashion,and provides linear motion to the piston clevis attach bolt 103resulting in a 10 rotational movement of the swing arm 96 about theswing arm rotation pin 12. To enable a compact arrangement of the swingarms 96 and the piston drives 92 on the moving plate 11, the swing arms96 are, preferably, designed such that the first end portion, the secondend portion, and the pivot accommodating the swing arm rotation pin 12form a triangle. Movement of the piston drive 92 causes the swing arm 96to rotate about the swing arm rotation pins 12 for 15 moving the bandholding devices 18 towards the center of the opening 10 for receivingthe elastic band—as illustrated in FIG. 3B—or opposite for stretchingand deploying the elastic band—as illustrated in FIG. 3A.

The swing arms 96 are made, for example, from aluminum plates having apredetermined thickness to provide sufficient support and stiffnessusing standard computer controlled processes of cutting, milling anddrilling. Optionally, the swing arms 96 are made of a material otherthan aluminum such as, for example, stainless steel or compositematerial. The swing arms 96 are designed in dependence upon the numberof swing arms employed and a given maximum size of the band opening 15using standard gear engineering technology.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B, four swing arms 96 are equallydisposed around the opening 10, but the embodiments of the invention arenot limited thereto. Depending on the shape of the band holders 122 andthe size and shape of a desired band opening 15, different numbers—twoor more—of swing arms 96 are employed.

Alternatively, an electric drive is employed for rotating the swing arms96, for example, by replacing the piston drives 92 with toothed geardrives comprising a driven toothed wheel interacting with a toothedsurface disposed on a respective section of the swing arms 96.

Further alternatively, the swing arms 96 are actuated using a combineddrive, for example, a gear mechanism comprising a ring structuresurrounding the moving plate opening 10 and interacting with each of theswing arms 96, which is driven using, for example, a single pistondrive.

Referring to FIGS. 3C and 3D, a preferred embodiment of the band holdingdevices 18 according to the invention is provided. The band holder 122is mounted to band holder piston rod 120 of band holder piston drive124. The band holder piston drive 124 provides linear movement to theband holder 122. The band holder piston drive 124 is implemented, forexample, using an off-the-shelf pneumatic or hydraulic compact pistondrive. The band holder 122 comprises a first portion mounted to the bandholder piston rod 120. The first portion of the band holder 122 isoriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the bandholder piston rod 120 and pointing approximately towards a center of themoving plate opening 10. A second portion is oriented substantiallyparallel to the longitudinal axis of the band holder piston rod 120. Theband holder 122 comprises slightly rounded edges 128 where in contactwith the elastic band 13, as well as a push off clearance groove 130 foraccommodating a portion of push off pin 126 therein. The first portionof the band holder 122 comprises an opening for enabling movement of thepush off pin 126 therethrough. The push off pin 126—for example, astainless steel pin—is welded to push off mount 125, which is mounted tothe band holder piston drive 124. The elastic band 13 is dropped ontothe first portion of the band holder 122 in proximity to the secondportion and during stretching the elastic band is in contact with thesecond portion of the band holder 122. During receipt and stretching,the band holder piston rod 120 is disposed in an extended position suchthat the push off pin 126 is placed outside the second portion of theband holder 122 as illustrated in FIG. 3C. During deployment of theelastic band the band holder piston rod 120 is retracted causing thestationary push off pin 126 to push the elastic band off the secondportion of the band holder 122. The slightly rounded edges 128 areprovided to prevent cutting of the elastic band during stretching anddeployment.

Optionally, the second portion of the band holder 122 is widened suchthat a sufficiently large band opening 15 is provided when using onlytwo band holding devices 18.

Alternatively, the band holder 122 is fixedly mounted while the push offpin 126 is movable relative thereto.

In a preferred embodiment a cutting mechanism is mounted to the bottomsurface of the moving plate 11, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Thecutting mechanism comprises a cutting blade 162 which is mounted to afirst end portion of cutting swing arm 164. The cutting swing arm 164 isrotatable mounted to the moving plate 52 via cutting swing arm rotationpin 166, and coupled to a cutting piston drive 168 via piston clevisattach bolt 170 at a second opposite end. The cutting piston drive 168is actuated, for example, in a pneumatic or hydraulic fashion, andprovides linear motion to the piston clevis attach bolt 170 resulting ina rotational movement of the cutting swing arm 164 about the cuttingswing arm rotation pin 166. To enable a compact arrangement of thecutting swing arm 164 and the cutting piston drives 168 on the movingplate 52, the swing arm 164 is designed such that the first end portion,the second end portion, and the pivot accommodating the cutting swingarm rotation pin 166 form a triangle. Movement of the cutting pistondrive 168 causes the cutting swing arm 164 to rotate about the cuttingswing arm rotation pin 166 for rotationally moving the cutting blade 162across the moving plate opening 10, as illustrated in FIG. 4B. Rapidmovement of the cutting blade 162, actuated by the cutting piston drive168, enables cutting of the objects while being held in place by aworker due to inertia of the objects. To ensure movement of the cuttingblade 162 in a plane oriented substantially parallel to the moving plate52, a guide such as, for example, a guide ring structure 172 surroundingthe moving plate opening 10 is mounted to the bottom surface of themoving plate 52 at a predetermined distance thereto. Optionally, aholding mechanism is provided for abutting the objects during thecutting process.

Referring to FIGS. 5A to 5E, operation of the preferred embodiment ofthe horizontal banding machine 100 according to the invention isdescribed herein below. FIG. 5A illustrates the banding machine 100after deployment of the elastic band. The band holding devices 18—stillin the deployment position—are then moved to the band receiving positionwith the second portion of the band holders 122 being disposed in closeproximity to each other, as illustrated in FIG. 5B. The moving plate 52is then moved horizontally to the elastic band receiving position belowthe band supply mechanism 3, as illustrated in FIG. 5C and the bandholder piston rod 120 is then moved in an extended position asillustrated in FIG. 3C.

The rubber tubing 5 is moved a predetermined length using moving gripperfingers 150 and then held using, for example, a stopper piston 152having a rubber or plastic end that pushes the rubber tubing against theinside wall of the tube 4 to temporarily prevent movement of the rubbertubing 5, for example, to prevent the rubber tubing 5 from being pulledback into the storage container. Using cutter assembly 154 a portion ofthe tubing 5 having the predetermined length is then cut off producingthe elastic band 13, which is then dropped onto the band holders 122, asillustrated in FIG. 5D.

After receipt of the elastic band, the moving plate 52 is horizontallymoved into the band disengaging position while the band holding devices18 are moved outward to the elastic band deployment position providing asufficiently large band opening 15 for banding, as illustrated in FIG.5E. After deployment of the elastic band, for example, as describedherein above with reference to FIGS. 3C and 3D, the cutting blade 162 isrotationally moved for cutting the objects and the moving plate 52 isthen in the position as illustrated in FIG. 5A.

The FIGS. 5A to 5E illustrate a sequence of snapshots of the operationof the banding machine 100. The various movements of the components are,for example, combined such that the horizontal movement of the movingplate 52 and the movement of the band holding devices 18 are executed ina simultaneous fashion. Alternatively, the various movements areexecuted successively. As described herein above, the various movementsare or may be actuated using pneumatic, hydraulic, electric and/orelectro-pneumatic drives, which are controlled using a control systemmade of standard off-the-shelf components for controlling the pneumatic(or hydraulic, electric and/or electro-pneumatic ) action in combinationwith a processor.

The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferredembodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the artthat a number of variations and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as described herein.

1. A horizontal banding machine comprising: an elastic band supplymechanism for providing an elastic band in a gravity assisted fashion;at least two band holding devices for: receiving the elastic band fromthe elastic band supply mechanism; stretching the elastic band forproviding a band opening surrounded by the elastic band foraccommodating a plurality of objects for banding therein; and,disengaging the elastic band from the holding devices for deploying theelastic band onto the plurality of objects; an actuator coupled to theband holding devices for moving the band holding devices between a firstposition for receiving the elastic band and a second position fordisengaging the elastic band; and, a moving mechanism having the bandholding devices and the actuator mounted thereto for moving the bandholding devices from a band receiving position, where the elastic bandis disposed in a receiving plane oriented substantially horizontal, to aband disengaging position, where the elastic band is disposed in adisengaging plane oriented substantially horizontal, wherein in thedisengaging position the band holding devices, the actuator, and themoving mechanism are disposed outside a handling space determined byprojecting the band opening along a straight line through the bandopening and oriented substantially perpendicular thereto.
 2. Ahorizontal banding machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the movingmechanism comprises a moving plate having the band holding devices andthe actuator mounted thereto, the moving plate comprising a moving plateopening which is sufficiently large for accommodating the band openingtherein.
 3. A horizontal banding machine as defined in claim 2 whereinthe moving plate is linearly movable mounted to a frame such that themoving plate is oriented substantially horizontal in the band receivingposition and in the band disengaging position.
 4. A horizontal bandingmachine as defined in claim 3 wherein the moving plate is linearlymovable mounted to the frame such that the moving plate is substantiallyhorizontally movable between the band receiving position and the banddisengaging position.
 5. A horizontal banding machine as defined inclaim 2 wherein the actuator comprises at least two swing arms, eachswing arm having a band holding device mounted thereto at a first endportion and being rotatable mounted to the moving plate.
 6. A horizontalbanding machine as defined in claim 5 wherein each swing arm is coupledto a piston actuator at a second opposite end portion and rotatablemounted to the moving plate at a pivot disposed between the first endportion and the second end portion.
 7. A horizontal banding machine asdefined in claim 1 wherein each of the band holding devices comprises: aband holder for holding the elastic band; a push member for disengagingthe elastic band from the band holder; and, a push actuator mounted toone of the band holder and the push member for providing relativemovement between the band holder and the push member.
 8. A horizontalbanding machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the elastic band supplymechanism comprises: a first gripper for holding a tubing made ofelastic band material; a second gripper for moving the tubing apredetermined length; and, a cutter for cutting a portion of the tubinghaving the predetermined length, the predetermined portion forming theelastic band.
 9. A horizontal banding machine as defined in claim 8wherein the elastic band supply mechanism comprises a tubular guide anda tubing roller for guiding the tubing from a supply container to thefirst gripper.
 10. A horizontal banding machine as defined in claim 3comprising a cutting mechanism for cutting the plurality of objects at apredetermined distance to the elastic band.
 11. A horizontal bandingmachine as defined in claim 10 wherein the cutting mechanism comprises acutting blade movable mounted to the moving plate such that the cuttingblade is movable in a plane located at the predetermined distance to theelastic band and oriented substantially parallel to the band opening.12. A horizontal banding machine as defined in claim 11 where in thecutting mechanism comprises a swing arm having the cutting blade mountedthereto at a first end portion, the swing arm being coupled to a pistonactuator at a second opposite end portion and rotatable mounted to themoving plate at a pivot disposed between the first end portion and thesecond end portion.